John Jay Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-02-02-0255

To John Jay from George Washington, 22 October 1781

From George Washington

Head Quarters near York in Virginia
22d October 1781.—

Sir

As the Transmission of the inclosed paper1 through the usual Channel of the Department of forreign Affairs, would, on the present Occasion, probably be attended with great Delay—and recent Intelligence of Military Transactions, must be important to our Ministers in Europe, at the present period of Affairs:— I have tho’t it would be agreeable both to Congress and your Excellency, that the Matter should be communicated immediately by a French Frigate dispached by Admiral de Grasse. annexed to the Capitulation is a summary Return of the prisoners and Cannon taken in the two places of York & Gloucester—2

I have added, upon the Principles abovementioned a Copy of Genl Greene’s last Action in South Carolina—3 I have the Honor to be Your Excellencys Most Obedient and most humble Servant

Go Washington

His Excellency John Jay Esqr4

LS, UkWC-A (EJ: 18). Endorsed: “ . . . Recd 7 Decr 1781”. LS, marked “Duplicate,” NNC (EJ: 7235). Endorsed: “ . . . Recd 7 Decr 1781”. Dft, in the hand of John Laurens, DLC: Washington, ser. 4 (EJ: 10385). Tr, DLC: Washington, ser. 3A (EJ: 12654). Similiar letters were sent to BF and JA (PBF description begins William B. Willcox et al., eds., The Papers of Benjamin Franklin (39 vols. to date; New Haven, Conn., 1959–) description ends , 35: 637; PJA description begins Robert J. Taylor, Gregg L. Lint, et al., eds., Papers of John Adams (15 vols. to date; Cambridge, Mass., 1977–) description ends , 12: 39).

1. A marginal note identifies the paper as “The capitulation of Ld: Cornwallis.”

2. Neither enclosure has been found, but see Howard C. Rice Jr. and Anne S. K. Brown, eds., The American Campaigns of Rochambeau’s Army, 1780, 1781, 1782, 1783 (2 vols.; Princeton, N.J., and Providence, R.I., 1972), 1: 144–47, 148–49.

3. Enclosure not found, but it was probably a copy of Greene’s letter to the president of Congress of 11 Sept. 1781, describing his victory at Eutaw Springs, a copy of which Greene had enclosed in his letter to Washington of 17 Sept. 1781. See PNG description begins Richard Showman et al., eds., The Papers of General Nathanael Greene (13 vols.; Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005) description ends , 9: 328–38, 362.

4. JJ acknowledged receipt of this letter on 7 Dec. in his letter to Washington of 9 Dec. 1781, ALS, PHi (EJ: 1120). He also noted receipt of it in JJ to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 28 Apr. 1782, below. He replied to a similar letter from Henry Knox of 21 Oct., Dft, NNGL (EJ: 90518), on 10 Dec. 1781, below.

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    Jay Papers
    Title
    To John Jay from George Washington, 22 October 1781
    Author
    Washington, George
    Recipient
    Jay, John
    Date
    22 October 1781

    Reference

    Cite as
    “To John Jay from George Washington, 22 October 1781,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-02-02-0255. [Original source: The Selected Papers of John Jay, vol. 2, 1780–1782, ed. Elizabeth M. Nuxoll. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2012, p. 613.]

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